Both Sussex Road and Geneva Road would completely disappear under the 1980s housing scheme.

The pub was renamed as the Loughborough Park Tavern some time in the 1880s, and was rebuilt in 1899 as a substantial three-story building. I haven’t managed to find any photos of the original building.

The Tavern stood between a small row of shops, at 305 & 307 Coldharbour Lane SW9.

To the east was Blake’s bicycle shop at number 309 selling Raleigh ‘all steel’ bicycles, then R E Hobday’s free off-licence, a closed shop at 313, then a newsagent and another Blake’s bike shop.

To the east of the pub at number 301-303 was Barker Ltd., and then Loughborough Park (Moorlands Road). The whole strip of shops and the pub were pulled down in the late 1970s.

[Loughborough Park Tavern c1926]

I’m grateful to CH1 on the bulletin boards who located this drawing of the original architect plans:

Apparently the firm who produced the design for the rebuilt pub was Eedle and Meyers of 8 Railway Approach Southwark. They did several south London local pubs including the Dover Castle, Little Surrey Street and the Larkhall Tavern, in Clapham.

They were known for producing garish and well ornamented line drawings of proposals for potential customers – such as the one here. No doubt Lord Sugar would appreciate their chutzpah.

Information and picture from an old book on London Pubs (Girouard, Yale University Press 1984) – must have bought it in a sale at Index Book shop when it was in Atlantic Road where Argos is now.

c.1980 view showing what looks like the remains of the pub’s basement.

Nature is starting to grow back in this early 1980s view showing the site before construction of the Barrier Block had started. The pub would have stood to the right.

Modern view from Coldharbour Lane looking at where the pub used to stand, in front of the Barrier Block (Southwyck House).

Some time ago you wrote about the mystery of this pub. In doing some research about the Guinness Trust Buildings I came across some stuff you may be interested in.

The Royal Veteran was a pub as you thought it was. The Era newspaper of September 28th 1851 lists a transfer of licence of The Royal Veteran from Christopher Collis to Peter William Funnell.

Furthur research of Peter in news articles shows it was still called Royal Veteran in 1865 but in 1866 it was called Loughborough Park Tavern.

I also found photos of Christophers son William and his wife. William was listed as the publican there in the 1851 census, it was No 8 Zoar Place.

At that time his father Christopher was listed as Brewer at 177 Star Brewery, London Road. I saved all the clippings but cant attach any here. There’s one about an inquest held there in 1836 of a local carpenter. Some articles refer to it as Royal Veteran Beer Shop.

21 Comments

hi i lived in geneva rd same side as this pub my dad use to drink there and every xmas the landlord use to put on a great party for all the kids the inside was the most fantastic decoration i had every seen brixton was a fantastic place to live born 1949 along with 8 brothers & 2 sisters how could anyone allow this pub and its streets along coldharbour lane be pulled down for a crime ridden estate to take its place i am presently writing a book about growing up in geneva rd and my days as a gutter rat in brixton market any stall holders remember me ? check out urban 75 see more pics of how the wealthy the people was in there big houses cheers to the loughbough pub

dear editor re your reply my comments re the barrier block was not intended to offend i was refering to the early days of its occupation on a vist last year i was speaking to some local residents looking for present day living in brixton i was amazed how so many residents had no idea of life re living in geneve /sussex /somerleyton/rds one said they could only dream of living in a 4 storey house with basements own door with wine cellers gardens some 100 feet long i am sure you would agree that the streets could nay shoud have been saved from the bull dozers just walk up to hernhill smaller houses but with basements sell to day for around 1 million pounds i never did like jhon major i like him even less for what he did to brixton merry xmas to all the folks of brixton

Dear Editor,My uncle was Bill Blake the owner of blakes bikes 309 coldharbour lane brixton.i remember passing my eleven plus and being taken there by my grandparents to pick a bike i am 63 now but remember it well i wonder if anyone has any memories of him or photos

Dear Keith,
I am not sure if you will see this post as it is 5 years after your post of 2013. Following a recent trip to Brixton, I went on line to see what I could find in the way of history. To put this in context, My parents owned the newsagents (315) from 1953 to the compulsory purchase of the entire block in the 1970s. I grew up there, and remember your grandparents, Bill and Lilian, and your aunt Joan very well. I remember that they were kind people; on my very first Christmas in Brixton (age 5), I received a present from your grandparents and Joan of a beautiful doll, named Rosebud. I remember half day closing on a Wednesday, when Joan and Lilian often took a cab to central London to go shopping. I remember their garage on the corner of Sussex Road where my father would fill up his car. Their businesses in Brixton provided work for many. Fond memories. I hope this adds to your family picture.

hi keith re blacks bikes i to am 63 male i grew up in geneva rd next to sussex rd us kids use to hang around his shop for hours i remember he use to stock some great transfers 3 old pence each when we had pocket money i remember ruining a transfer went back to his shop and he removed it from my bike stuck a new one on for free that sort of community spirt just doesn/t exsit any more how lucky we were to have lived us kids in the late great geneva rd brixton not foregetting the kids of sussex rd amon

I found this story and comment board as a result of a quick effort to solve the “mystery of the sterling silver half pint”. I found a sterling half pint in among some personal items I have collected over the years. I can only assume it came from my parents. On the bottom of the mug, etched into the silver in hand-engraved cursive script reads, “Loughboro Park Tavern”.

I remember the pub,the bike shop and the old surroundings of that area,outside the pub and bike shop was a rough unmade road,barkers facing was a furniture shop,burnt down in the Brixton riots,The area in those days was was more friendly than latter years,it had its problems of course but as time passed the old brixton became political,people moved out,i suppose that all things change.But i loved our old Brixton.

hi johnny your words hit home the picture of rubble where the pub once stood is heart breaking I have spent my life as a builder so have a interest in Victorian architecher I see more bloody flats is being built on somerlayton rd no/ no/ people want houses with gardens will the planners never learn the cancer of Brixton is continuing to spread

Lovely thanks for posting that. It was my Gran’s favourite watering hole up to the late 1940’s I am told, She would toddle down Sussex Road from Guinness Flats. I remember the billiard hall in the back which we played in which was a bit decrepit and the Off Licence next door and then a sweet shop. Sussex Road primary school to the back of it was a lovely Edwardian edifice that some of the family attended and then became a branch of Brixton School of Building and I attended it for some lessons. Criminal to bulldoze such great buildings but it was the thinking of the time, old equalled no good. The same happened along Loughborough Park with all the lovely Victorian and Edwardian Villas which would fetch a fortune these days. The plague burial pit was of historical significance and wonder what happened to that.

hi roger in all my replys on Geneva /somerlyton / & sussex rds I forgot about the wonderfull villas yes they were fantastic all detached and the folk who lived in them were very wealthy it would be great if any one had a picture of them you only have to look at the photo of the loughbourgh pub to see what the houses would be like sad so sad

hi Maggie great to hear from someone who lived in the l p tavern can you not agree that today that building would have listed status as would the villas you can thank john major for his part in destroying Brixton now the Canterbury arms is under threat of the bulldozers long live the Loughborough tavern in memory only

Hi I use to live at 112 Loughborough Park now Morland Road, The side of the road that was pulled down. The area was rebuilt because they were going to build a motorway in front of Barrier block. No mention has been made of Sussex Grove which ran off Sussex Road. My Mother remembered the Guinness Trust flats being built, before they were built the site was occupied by two large houses. 106 Loughborough Park was occupied by A coal merchant Fred Payne. The Barker family who ran the furniture shops in Coldharbour Lane also lived in Loughborough Park.. Number 106 was bombed during the war but was never rebuilt. Sussex Road was also the site of the infant & Primary school I attended.

Hi everyone I grew up at 63 Loughborough park ( opposite the park) from mid 70s to late 80s and remember the wood post for the pub sign near the crossing in front of Gresham spares! I don’t remember Blake’s bikes but do remember Barker’s furniture / fells electronics / Archies greengrocers /the chipshop/ and the little lady that run the post office.I Also went to hillmead school ( previously Sussex road) beautiful building . I have a copy of a postcard of the two houses that Peter Chalmers mentions where Loughborough park meets somerleyton road . I have never seen this photo on any archive sites .if any one would like a copy let me know. Loved growing up here and no 63 was like a castle ! It had all the original fireplaces and the stable/garage with stable keepers above . Growing up next to Brixtons steel band was fun😣

Also remember a old man in his late 80s calling to no 63 and telling us he was a servant there when he was in his twenties and the house belonged to Tate and Lyle sugar. Have tried to find information on this but have never found anything.